Sex is a topic that many avoid when it comes to talking to tweens, teens & young adults.
This topic should be one that places no fear or disgust in the minds of educators (parents, teachers, mentors etc…) Something as simple as a few conversations, here and there, could save a life or even change and improve a life.
We have spent a lot of time discussing sex education; to teach or not to teach. We’ve even talked about how, no matter how small, it is important to teach children about body parts and safe sex.
This is not to badger or lecture. It is only to encourage and improve the barrier between authoritative figures and the generations that will soon be in charge of our future world.
Premarital sex, rape, curiosity and failure to educate are all things that contribute to a community’s experience with teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and high abortion rates.
While some situations are inevitable, many of the shared experiences our teenage boys and girls go through could be avoided if the proper education, conversations and communication were in abundance.
Studies show that effective communication can alter the chances of young teens being infected with HIV. They also emphasize how with knowledge, the right decision can be made once a young adult is put in the position to make one.
Have you ever made a mistake because there was poor communication between the parties involved?
Maybe you misunderstood something or the message was communicated to you incorrectly. Imagine being in a situation where maybe the message, or “education” wasn’t communicated at all. Teen pregnancies are slowly decreasing, but they exist nonetheless.
HIV & STD’s are scary, but sex without education can lead to a world of problems and unfortunate events.
The black community suffers with high numbers of these sicknesses and diseases.
With education, knowledge and consistent conversation about these serious matters, our community could gain the potential to grow, be healthy and really thrive.
Paishance Welch
Tweens, Teens & Young Adults